Approximation methods for the nuclear thermodynamic functions and their validity in a solvable model

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Abstract
Methods which include the effect of mean-field fluctuations on the nuclear partition function and level density of hot nuclei are tested by applying them to a many-body system for which exact solutions are available, the Lipkin model. It is found that for finite systems fluctuation corrections to the mean field partition function and level density can be substantial, and especially so near a shape phase transition where these fluctuations smooth out discontinuities in the mean-field quantities. The model calculations suggest that only time-independent fluctuations are important at high temperatures or at high excitation energies. Moreover, even when fluctuations are restricted to a small set of constraints, a significant improvement over the mean-field calculations can result. This is thus a practical approximation since it requires only knowledge of the deformation free energy surfaces at finite temperature.